Harry Potter and Rembrant

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Today we went to the National Gallery near TS in London. It just so happens that the premier of the last Harry Potter film was on this same day, right next door to the National Gallery. There. Were. People. Everywhere....Screaming! If you don't like crowds then London is not the place for you. The subways are packed at 11PM on a week night - and that is normal for London.

I saw a lot of art today. I have a new found appreciation for it. At the National Gallery they let you get right up close to the paintings, even the LD paintings. Two particular favorites of mine are "The Rokeby Venus" by Diego Velazquez (1647), and "The Virgin Child With St. Anne and St. John the Baptist" by Leonardo da Vinci (1452). It is truly amazing to see these up close.

I walked all day long today, probably for about 12 hours without much sitting. After visiting the Gallery we went to Piccadilly Circus, then walked over to White Hall St which eventually lead us to Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.

We had some free time tonight so me and two other girls went off on our own in an area called "West End" it is very similar to Broadway in NYC, but very different too. This city is so beautiful - stained glass windows, incredible stone work on every building. There are always people at bars and restaurants...especially every pub is always packed (even at lunch time with business people) with people overflowing into the streets. Men outnumber women here by about 4 to 1.

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